Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan has directed Tanzania Prison Service to intensify reforms aimed at preparing prisoners for successful reintegration into society, emphasizing that rehabilitation efforts must produce real-life outcomes beyond prison walls.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of a senior leadership training course for prison officers at the Tanzania Correctional Training Academy (TCTA) in Dar es Salaam on Saturday, May 9, 2026, President Samia said the government would continue strengthening rehabilitation systems to ensure former inmates gain skills, confidence, and economic opportunities after serving their sentences.
The Head of State stressed that prison reforms should not be measured solely by the number of training programs conducted, but by how effectively former prisoners rebuild their lives and avoid returning to crime.
“It is important that these programs are evaluated based on results, not simply the number of training offered,” President Samia said.
“We want to see how many inmates acquire employable skills, become productive after release, and how much the rate of repeat offenses declines,” she said..
Her remarks reflect a broader shift in Tanzania’s correctional philosophy, moving from punishment-centered incarceration toward rehabilitation and social reintegration.
President Samia noted that the government has continued investing in correctional services through modern technology, vocational training, and expanded economic activities within prisons.
These initiatives include the use of digital court systems, adoption of clean cooking energy, and increased inmate participation in agriculture, fishing, and technical skills development.
She also highlighted the importance of protecting human rights and maintaining discipline, justice, and professionalism within the country’s criminal justice system.
“TheTanzania Prison Service holds a vital place in the justice system,” she said. “Officers must continue carrying out their responsibilities with integrity, fairness, patriotism, and professionalism.”
The President praised the Prisons Service for implementing recommendations from the Criminal Justice Commission, including improvements in inmate welfare. She cited ongoing efforts to expand health insurance coverage for prisoners, build schools for juvenile inmates, and construct prisons in districts that currently lack correctional facilities.
Minister for Home Affairs Patrobas Katambi said the government remains committed to modernizing security and justice institutions to match technological changes and national development priorities.
Katambi also commended recent measures introduced under President Samia’s administration, including the pardon of 1,369 prisoners and wider use of non-custodial sentences for more than 5,000 offenders.
According to the minister, the reforms have helped reduce overcrowding in prisons and saved the government more than Sh21 billion that would otherwise have been spent on inmate care.
